Fancy Seeing You Here
by SeaFeudJagger
Summary: Elsa got a lot more than she bargained for when she set out for her usual patrol that night. Vigilante AU
1. Chapter 1

**I'm a sucker for vigilante AUs, and thought about how I could incorporate it to these two fandoms. Surprisingly, there's very few of these in both, with _Hiccup in a Flash _the only one I enjoyed from HTTYD. Hope you find my attempt acceptable.**

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Elsa was honestly surprised.

Her usual nightly patrol over the streets of Arendelle was gradually turning out to be an uneventful evening. Granted, the night is still young and anything could happen, but she fairly covered a lot of ground in the last three hours since the sun had set. She might even be able to settle in early tonight and catch a good night's sleep for once.

In fact, this entire weekend might actually be the reprieve Elsa desperately needed after the hectic drudgery in the office this past week—perhaps even more so than her 'other job'. She even managed to make it to Anna's meetup on time yesterday, much to her sister's delight. They haven't seen much of each other in over a month, with Anna starting to focus on her new job as a journalist and Elsa overseeing the preparations and design over their client's recently purchased building space here in Arendelle.

Needless to say, Elsa barely suppressed any trace of exasperation she might have felt whenever an argument would arise between the architect and contractors over cost implications and redesigns. Judging by how her co-workers would steer clear of her after she left those lengthy meetings, she may not have been entirely successful at concealing her ire. If her old therapist were there he would've likely suggested that having an outlet to vent her frustrations on is often the simplest way of achieving cathartic release.

Spending her nights beating up criminals and freezing them solid _probably_ wasn't how he meant by that, nor was it a stable sign of her mental health that she found it _way_ more stress relieving than the packets of peppermint tea Anna gave her.

Regardless, Elsa slept like a brick as soon as she reached her flat by Friday night; too out of it to get into costume. Saturday morning found herself devouring a tub of ice cream in bed while watching reruns of _Shameless_ before spending the rest of her day with Anna at the mall and then stopping by Waffle Brothers Bakery for dinner. Sunday arrived with Elsa finally deciding that she'd indulged herself for long enough and got into a bit of yoga and training to keep her muscles from getting stiff after two straight days of minimal activity.

It turns out her preparations were all for naught considering it had to be one of the most peaceful Sunday nights she'd ever come across. Seriously, no one was cutting each other off in traffic, people were politely greeting one another as they passed by each other on the streets, even some of the shady bars where brawls would frequently break out looked relatively empty for the evening...

The most she'd had to exert effort in was catching some kid's balloon as it flew off high into the air.

Elsa's not complaining though. She'd trade an entire month's worth of headache inducing work if it meant more downtime for the city. While it was certainly no Berk, Arendelle does have its own fair share of criminals and petty thugs lurking beneath the city's noise and clutter. Disrupting the repetitive yet familiar backdrop of city life whenever it suits them, uncaring of the damage they cause or the lives they left ruined in their wake with little regard of the consequences.

Not that many cared to notice since Mayor Duke Weselton appeared deadset on turning _her_ into his personal scapegoat for half the city's problems.

Just how exactly was _she_ to blame for global warming anyway?!

Elsa shook her head clear of unpleasant thoughts as she landed on the rooftop of a nearby apartment complex. No sense in ruining her night with any more of Arendelle's divided opinion on their resident Snow Queen. She didn't do it for the fame or recognition anyway, though she can't say she doesn't appreciate her co-worker Olaf's enthusiastic, and often one-sided, discussions with Mari about her vigilante exploits in the news even if she'll never admit that out loud.

She observed the surrounding streets around her. Near empty roads spanned into alleys littered with poor lighting, serving as convenient shortcuts for the lone passerby in a hurry to escape the evening chill of the mid autumn weather.

While the cold didn't bother her—hasn't been able to for quite some time now—she still felt the instinctual need to tighten the lapels of her jacket, the leather creaking slightly with the movement of her arms crossing one another. Elsa took a deep breath and slowly let it out, exhaling a fine mist before dispersing into the air. Tension coiled around her shoulders even as the crisp evening breeze soothed her mind, driving all her worries away, even for just a moment.

_Perhaps I should call it a night_, Elsa mused idly as she surveyed the enclosed area one more time. Call her pretentious but maybe some higher power _actually_ took pity on her for once and granted her a run-of-the-mill evening as a reward for all her good community service in the past.

She snorted. _Yeah, right_. That's about as likely as Weselton deciding to cease wearing wigs at public functions in an effort to hide his bald spot.

Still, she can't deny the tempting prospect of a warm bed this early in the night especially when she has to deal with work the following morning. And it does seem like the city is giving her a free pass just this once considering how mundane her evening has been going so far.

Elsa bit her lip in thought.

She did pass by a few patrol cars roaming the streets earlier. One of the few upsides from Weselton's slander was forcing the Arendelle Police Department to take a more proactive role in upholding the law while attempting to arrest the meddlesome vigilante doing it for them. So it's not like Elsa was leaving the city _completely_ unprotected for the rest of the night.

Maybe she ought to—

A sudden scream split through the air.

Elsa sighed.

"I jinxed it," she muttered to herself. "Tonight was going so well and I just _had_ to fucking jinx it."

Without a second thought, Elsa jumped off the roof.

A streak of frost burst from the palm of her white-gloved hands, freezing the moisture in the air in front of her into a solid trail of ice. Her feet landed deftly on the frozen surface and slid along the newly formed ramp. Elsa quickly skated between buildings, leaping off a few times before creating a new path, hands facing forward to provide a constant flow of ice towards the direction of the scream.

Eventually she skidded to a stop on top of a three-story building, intently scanning the streets below and straining her ears to listen for any sounds of a struggle. The flickering street lamps did little to help her vision, the faulty lighting across this side of town made it all the more difficult for her to detect the crime in progress.

Elsa cursed herself. _Idiot! You should've been more vigilant!_ Now some helpless person out there was being mugged when she could've stopped it in the first place had she been paying attention. But _no_, she had to be daydreaming about her _beauty sleep_ of all things. Her fingers clenched tightly, a wisp of frost seeping through the enclosed fist as her anxiety slowly started to crack the carefully constructed mask of the Snow Queen.

Two years have gone by and she was still making mistakes like this? Pathetic. She should've known that she could never get past that weak, naive girl who couldn't save—

Suddenly, the resounding crash of garbage cans being tipped over snapped Elsa out of her self-loathing. Her head veered sharply towards the right. The loud curse that followed afterwards made even more jarring in contrast to the peaceful ambiance moments before. She immediately ran towards that direction, crossing over several buildings until she made it to the edge of a roof overlooking an alleyway.

Below her, a group of men were surrounding a cowered woman and slowly advanced while she leaned protectively over an unconscious man. Elsa's brows furrowed as she quickly took stock of the situation.

Five men. All quite possibly armed. Two blocked one side of the alley while a large bulky figure stood guard at the opposite end. The remaining two circled the couple. She couldn't see much beyond the darkened alleyway save for the two flickering bulbs near the entrances so she can't be sure if there were more hiding in the dark.

"Your boyfriend packs a mean swing, lady. Sadly for him, Ivar here's faced tougher mucks in the ring to be offed with one punch."

"P-Please!" the woman pleaded. "Just take our money, we have nothing else!"

"Tch. 'Fraid it doesn't work that way, lass."

"Yeah, should've just given us your money and walked off when you had the chance."

"Now you've provoked the Sons of Muspelheim—"

_Sons of Muspelheim?_

"—and we've come to collect our toll."

_Alright, that's enough dramatics._

One of the men circling the couple held a crowbar to his side, now raising it with the intent of striking down at the defenseless woman. He let out a cry of shock just as a bolt of frost struck his hand and froze the fingers enclosed around the crowbar. He barely had time to register the lack of sensation around his appendage before getting kicked to chest and sent sailing across the alleyway.

Elsa landed with a flourish, pivoting her body as soon as her feet met the ground and swung her arm in a wide arc towards the surprised thugs. Shards of ice erupted across the floor, forcing the men to backtrack away from the sharpened spikes that now separated them from the couple.

She quickly turned her attention back to the remaining thug when she felt the sudden weight of a large body barreling through her. Elsa grunted as she was shoved backwards onto the ground. Shaking her head, she spared a moment to glance up and widen her eyes at the pair of fists slamming down towards her. She instinctively threw her hands up to block the incoming blow, forming a barrier of ice from her sides just as the thick arms made contact in front of her.

The stocky man grunted and backed off, but Elsa was shocked to see cracks forming along the surface of the solid curve of ice. The mere impact of his fists somehow managing to damage her shield, if only slightly. She scrambled away and rolled back on her feet, her arms raised in a defensive crouch as she eyed her opponent warily.

Before they could exchange another blow, the sound of gunshots echoed throughout the back alley, forcing Elsa to drop and take cover along an ice wall that rose behind her. The large man also dropped his stance and hid behind a nearby dumpster just as the bullets whizzed past him.

"Stop firing, you idiots! You'll get Ivar killed. It'll be your heads the boss comes after if his lab rat gets shot by one of us!"

"But—"

"That's an _order_. Now, give me that you bloody—"

Taking advantage of the gunmen's hesitation, Elsa rushed ahead and gestured with her hands, coating the floor alongside the dumpster in a thin sheet of ice. She then formed a heavy ice block that she propelled with such force that it slammed the dumpster forward. Caught off guard, Ivar slipped along with the heavy dumpster as the ice coated floor smoothly careened them into a pile of garbage cans.

Elsa didn't stick around to watch as the hail of gunfire resumed and made her turn around once more. This time an ice wall already formed in front of her, taking the brunt of the bullets while she slowly willed it forward. She spared a glance behind her and sighed in relief as the woman had the presence of mind to drag her unconscious partner with her and push themselves against the wall to avoid the ongoing conflict. She waved her hand and a small barrier formed around them to protect from further harm.

The woman gave her a look of awe before her eyes widened.

"Look out!"

Elsa snapped her eyes forward just as something shattered against her ice wall and burst it into flames.

She let out a startled cry, the sudden brightness and heat making her reel back from her guarded position behind the wall. Disoriented, she could vaguely make out shapes running towards her, seemingly unbothered by the flames that surrounded them. Elsa barely managed to dodge as the first attacker swung a heavy bat that bounced off against the alley wall.

The crack of a chain whip caught Elsa along the side, causing her to flinch and grit her teeth at the sharp pain that shot through her body. Seeing this, the first attacker swung again, this time connecting with her shoulder and forcing Elsa to take several steps back in retreat.

Elsa gingerly held a hand over her abdomen, wincing slightly at the lingering pain there and attempted to ignore the one on her shoulder.

She glared back at her two attackers, thankful that the scarf managed to hide the grimace across her face.

The flames slowly petered out around them, casting a menacing glow along the narrow alleyway. Elsa could briefly distinguish the shadow of the third man way behind them, tinkering with something in his hand. The constant sparks of a lighter made it very clear to Elsa as to what it was he threw at her. The two in front of her kept a careful distance, their hands never straying too far from their holsters despite being in close quarters.

Quickly, a plan formed in her mind. She took deep breaths and tried to steady herself, quelling whatever pain or uncertainty she might be feeling at the moment. Keeping her powers at bay when she has a pounding headache was challenging enough as it is.

Elsa removed the hand covering the wound and dropped both arms close to her side, fists clenched. Her steady breaths exhaled into puffs of steam, brows furrowed in concentration, as she could feel the temperature along her arms receding. The sleeves of her costume underneath the jacket gradually enveloped by a dense coating of ice, covering both arms from the tips of her fingers to her shoulders like an extra layer of skin.

She counted on the low lighting to hide the change and sprung forward at the two thugs.

As she expected, the one with the bat took another swing at her, no doubt emboldened by his success beforehand. His companion was a bit more cautious, dropping the chain he held in favor of pulling out his gun.

This time, however, Elsa was prepared.

Instead of dodging she met the two-pound solid piece of wood head on, raising one arm up to block the impact. Elsa felt her arm tingle as the bat met solid resistance, and savored the brief look of surprise on his face before she seized hold of his wrist and twisted her body, quickly jabbing her elbow into his chest.

He lurched back, letting out a choked gasp as he clutched his chest for air, but Elsa grabbed him by the shirt, kneed him in the stomach and pulled his dazed form directly in front of the other thug blocking his view of her. Elsa heard him curse loudly, trying to aim his gun at her without shooting his partner.

From the corner of her eye, she could faintly make out a vague shape moving in close and without even looking she shot a bolt of ice towards the third man even as he drew back and prepared to throw the lit bomb at her.

She knew she hit her mark when she heard the man cry out in pain.

"Gah! You'll pay for that, you cold-hearted bitch!"

Elsa nearly rolled her eyes. _Like she's never heard that before_.

Stomping her right foot forward, she summoned another ice wall right in front her. Then, grunting with considerable effort, she carried and threw the thug she held at the wall, shattering it completely as he crashed right through and collided hard against the other thug knocking them both on the ground.

With that done, Elsa turned her attention on the third man.

Even without the faint moonlight providing her visibility, she could make out two figures slowly retreating back towards the mouth of the alleyway. One of them positioned to face her and struggling in the other's arms but unable to break through the tight headlock.

A brief glance to the side revealed that the woman was no longer next to her unconscious partner.

Streaks of frost gathered around her clenched fists even as anger coursed through her veins. The _nerve_ of that thug to think that taking advantage of a helpless victim would shield him from _her_ wrath. She took a step forward, ready to turn him into a popsicle.

The two shuffled underneath the wall lamp close to the edge of the alleyway, the flickering glow providing glimpses of the terrified woman's face, tears falling and fingers grasping desperately at the arm wrapped around her neck. The thug did his best to block Elsa's view of him behind the woman, hissing at his hostage and tugging her forcefully as he took another step back. His arm was raised behind him, gripping something in between his fingers.

It was a round-shaped object, and she almost mistook it for a baseball when the light flickered, revealing the blue lever and pin ring at each side.

A grenade.

Elsa froze.

"That's right, Ice Queen. No further or we _both_ get it."

His thumb crested through the ring, thumbing it warningly.

She immediately tensed, raising both hands forward.

Just as she moved, the grenade was quickly hidden from her view.

The thug clucked his tongue. "Not so fast, missy. You're going to have to get through our little friend first if you want to reach me." He paused, before shrugging carelessly. "Or freeze us both, whichever. I'm dying to see if this'll cook even under such freezing temperatures."

Elsa cursed under her breath, arms still raised threateningly but not daring to cast even an icicle. _This is bad_.

She couldn't throw a clear shot at him without the possibility of the hostage taking the hit. Any attempt on her part to close the distance between them would only force the thug to pull the pin and start the countdown. She could try the same trick earlier and freeze the floor they were standing on to catch him off guard, but she doubted it would fool him this time judging by how focused he was on her movements and cautious with keeping the grenade out of her sight.

Her eyes flitted around the alleyway, hoping to use the environment to her advantage.

"How about you, lass?" he asked, suddenly tightening his hold on the woman and nearly choking her. "Do you think Snowflake here is fast enough to save your pretty little self? Or are we about to become sharpnel sponge?" He pressed his lips close to her ear. "Mind you, I wouldn't mind being glazed in ice when I have you for company, sweetheart."

She merely whimpered, forcing her eyes shut.

_Fuck_. Despite the mid autumn breeze, Elsa could feel sweat pouring down her forehead. She's had little to no experience in handling grenades. Most of the goons she encounters normally switch to guns or makeshift clubs whenever they dealt with her. Not even the police resorted to such drastic measures in their efforts to secure her arrest. She needed to come to a decision _now_.

But not knowing how long she has to act once he pulls that pin off is making her increasingly agitated and reluctant.

"Let her go," Elsa said calmly, hoping to conceal the unease in her voice. "Or this will end even worse for you."

"Can't see any scenario that would end nicely for me either, I'm afraid." he shrugged, unapologetic. "Unless you're willing to let me and my boys go without a hitch and we can all just forget this unfortunate little incident ever happened."

"Not a chance," she said flatly.

"Then it appears we have reached an _impasse_, Your Majesty."

They were right at the end of the alleyway now, street lamps now covering the pavement that led to the open road, buildings and other alleys. Many of which he could use to thwart her off and hide if he were to escape. Elsa followed closely behind, but made no sudden attempts that would incite him to remove the safety pin.

"Come now, Snow Queen!" he taunted, using her actual name for once. "_Choose_. I don't have all night here! Where's all that _resolve_ and _tenacity_ I've heard about? Every lowlife crook in Arendelle thinks you're a big deal. That you're someone to be avoided and feared. But from what I can see, you're just as entitled and indecisive as our _dear mayor_. Unwilling to choose for yourself and live with the consequences."

Elsa flinched at the harsh remark.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?"

Her breathing became labored as she tried to contain the swirl of emotions that swelled in that moment. Rage, fear, shame, losing that control would only send her powers fluctuating. She would be forced to release all that potent, unstable energy outwards and without her direction. The last time it happened, it looked as if a blizzard had suddenly barged in and wrecked the entire area into a tundra.

"I won't repeat myself," she gritted out. "Let. Her. _Go_."

The thug scoffed. "You think I'm bluffing, aren't you? That I couldn't _possibly_ go through with my threat." He raised the grenade once more. "Well, it doesn't matter what you think. The Sons of Muspelheim won't forget about this. They will count your meddling as retaliation against them. You'll soon bear the brunt of their force and _I_ shall be the one to herald their call."

"I... don't even know who you people are."

"Ha! You will soon face the wrath of our leader, Sur—"

The man let out a sudden cry of pain that startled Elsa from her concentrated restraint. She blinked as the man, who moments ago held the entire situation in his favor with a confident air, dropped his hold over the woman and instead clutched his now wounded hand with a look of agonized pain in his face.

His now _empty_ wounded hand.

Elsa immediately ran forward, panicked eyes desperately searching for the grenade at the same moment she heard it bounce off the wall where the man threw it reflexively after getting wounded. She raised her hand in the direction she _thought_ she saw it land and loosed multiple ice bolts towards that surrounding area hoping that some of them struck true and froze it solid.

The thug tightly gripped the sharp object that pierced his bleeding hand and gasped when he managed to pull it out, dropping it hastily on the floor. Blood started to flow from the wound. His eyes slammed shut as the pain shot through, groaning as he covered the wound with the palm of his other hand to try and stop the blood from pouring out.

_What the hell was that? And where did it come from?_

His thoughts were put to a halt when the temperature suddenly dropped around him. He shivered. A trickle of dread pooled in his stomach. Did he dare even look at her in the eye?

Curiosity eventually won over cowardice and he reluctantly opened his eyes to greet his fate.

The last thing he remembered seeing was a pair of glowing blue eyes before his world faded to black.

Elsa spared one scornful glance at the now unconscious thug before letting her shoulders sag in relief.

_That_ was too much of a close call.

If the man hadn't been distracted for a second then she would've been forced to either let him go or risk the hostage getting caught in the explosion if she retaliated.

Elsa barely had a moment to breath when the sobbing woman collided with her, shaking arms wrapping around her, fingers grasping at her jacket as she laid her head on the front of her costume.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I thought I was going to die!" she cried, holding on to Elsa very tightly.

"It's going to be alright, miss." Elsa patted her back awkwardly, not entirely used to comforting the people she saved in such a manner.

"I-I don't care what they say in the news! You really are a hero!" she sobbed.

Elsa sighed, but let out a tired smile on her face even if no one else could see it.

She raised her hands reluctantly and gently rubbed the woman's trembling shoulders before shifting her head to the side, curious at what caught the goon's attention long enough that gave her the chance to act.

"Y-You know, I have online blog where I write and post a lot of stuff," the woman sniffed. "It's not too popular b-but I have a lot of followers. I could put a good word out for you and let people know you're doing good around here... even if it's not much."

But Elsa wasn't paying attention anymore. Her breath hitched. She stared at the dark object that the thug threw away in haste when it pierced his hand.

It looked like a black metal boomerang with purple bladed edges at each side. The center was a small circular disc that had joints connecting the two arms together and contained a familiar design etched onto the disc's surface.

The symbol of Night Fury.

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**For anyone wondering, Elsa's costume is like a mix between Frozone (The Incredibles) and Silk (Marvel) with a Black Canary (DC) style jacket. Hiccup will be talked about next chapter. I don't think I need to explain whose persona I based him on. The fury fang, his version of the batarang, is reminiscent of the ones from the 2004 Batman animated show. The Batman of my childhood.**

**Also, I played with the idea of giving Norse mythology inspired villains due to her Scandinavian background. It sounded interesting to me. What do you think?**

****I was supposed to include the second part and just leave it as a one-shot, but halfway into writing it I realized the chapter was getting too long and felt a bit disjointed attaching it with the first half. So I decided instead to turn it into a two-shot. Next chapter will come out in a few days.****


	2. Chapter 2

Standing on a nearby rooftop, Elsa discreetly observed the commotion below her.

Red and blue lights flashed. The once deserted alleyway now filled with shuffling bodies and scraping boots. Police arrived just moments ago and were currently rounding up the disoriented thugs into their cruisers. They had to call for backup and a truck to fit Ivar, the large one, separate from the others. Several of the officers carried heating devices that they used to slowly thaw off the frozen cuffs and appendages she left on them. Those became way more streamlined in the two years since she donned the moniker, but the defrosting process still remained tedious and uncomfortable for the ones subjected to it, or so she heard.

Honeymaren, the woman she saved, spoke quietly to the two detectives fielding her with questions. No doubt she'll be asked to give her full statement once they were driven off to the police station. Medical assistance was provided to her brother, Ryder, soon after he regained consciousness. They reassured him that other than suffering from a mild concussion, there was no serious damage done to his health.

Frowning to herself, Elsa replayed the events in her mind. Reviewing her performance, dissecting every move and decision she made in the heat of battle. Despite how the media might portray her as a reckless vigilante, with little thought given to the collateral damage she might cause during her exploits, she in fact was her own worst critic. And she came to the unsurprising conclusion that she could have handled the entire situation better.

She became too complacent. Three days of downtime shouldn't be enough to let down her guard, yet it happened all the same. To say Elsa is disappointed in herself would be an understatement. Sure, she can rationalize that she's been focusing more on her work life which has been beating her ass lately with this new deal she has negotiate and prepare for, but that's no excuse to give less the effort in protecting the city.

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger, squeezing her eyes shut.

_Nothing to be done about it now_, she supposed. She was just thankful that the situation didn't escalate even further than it needed to. And that Honeymaren didn't resent her or notice the guilt she felt at nearly failing to stop the assault on her by that delusional thug.

Speaking of which...

She opened her eyes and glanced intently at the disgruntled man as he was led to the back of the police car, his wounded hand bandaged along with a pair of handcuffs secured tightly around his wrists.

"The Sons of Muspelheim," she muttered to herself, then groaned aloud. Great, another gang or criminal group out there in Arendelle looking to cause trouble. As if she doesn't have enough problems on her plate.

"Long night?" A deep voice from behind her asked.

Elsa stiffened. Her heart nearly leapt to her throat.

Despite knowing that he might be somewhere nearby, it didn't make it any less unnerving how easily he can just appear and disappear like that without uttering a sound. Unless he wanted you to know he was there, you would be none the wiser.

A strange tingling sensation formed in the pit of her stomach, which puzzled her momentarily before she ignored it.

Elsa didn't turn around. Allowing the evening breeze to gently dance across the bare skin of her face. Strands of blonde hair swept behind her, tied in a single tight braid that fell over the crowned snowflake symbol on the back of her navy blue jacket. "Par for the course, I'd say."

Which is the thing that _really_ irks her the most. Despite getting caught off guard by that thug, the entire situation isn't something new to her. It should've been clockwork by now. A lengthy patrol topped with catching the bad guys in the act, beating them up, and then leaving them tied up for the authorities to arrest, sprinkled with some evasion on her part from the police. A piece of cake. By all means, a standard night for her.

And she still somehow managed to fuck it up.

Faint footsteps followed, and soon another presence joined her perch in watching the rest of the proceedings below.

Elsa glanced at the tall, lean figure that stood next to her. He was clad in sleek black armor, segmented across his body and streaked with hints of red along the side. On his right pauldron, the symbol of a curled scarlet dragon gleamed menacingly under the pale moonlight. A frightening mask greeted her, faceless besides the slits of green lenses and three sets of short spines jutting from the forehead to the back of the helmet.

Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Vigilante. Outlaw. One of Berk's top ten most wanted criminals; accused of assault, vigilantism and interference in police investigations. Also suspected of having affiliation with a crime syndicate operating in the city led by the mysterious individual only known as the Red Death.

Or so the tabloids say.

"Fancy seeing you here," she muttered. With him around, Elsa couldn't say for sure how long will things _stay_ normal in Arendelle. His last visit here didn't exactly endear himself to the public or even herself, albeit initially.

Night Fury inclined his head towards her.

"Y'know, I could say the same for you. Heard you've gone dark these last few days."

Elsa blinked. "You've been keeping tabs on me?"

He shrugged noncommittally.

She eyed him dubiously. "How long have you been in Arendelle?"

"Since yesterday," he replied casually, which sounded odd coming from him. "Didn't patrol the streets myself until tonight."

"Right," she raised an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that you've been lying low and doing nothing in the twenty four hours you've stayed here."

"Now I didn't say _that_." He raised a gloved finger. "And believe it or not, there are other things that occupy my time which are just as important."

Elsa hummed ponderously, unsure on what to make of that.

Silence resumed once more, which prompted her to examine him more closely.

"New suit?" she inquired, realizing that his armor looked vaguely different from the one he wore the last time they met. Less roughly patched, more refined and polished. With none of the wear and tear present that suggested its protection is frequently utilized in battle.

He nodded, turning serious. "Things in Berk have been escalating a lot lately. I need to be one step ahead of my enemies, and if that means upgrading my gear then I'll adjust accordingly."

Night Fury gave her a look. Even though the lenses covered his eyes, Elsa thought she could feel that gaze scrutinizing over her. "And it seems like I'm not the only one. That's... quite the improvement."

Elsa flushed at the compliment, once again thankful for the purple scarf covering her now red cheeks.

Her blue and white suit was certainly a far cry from the hoodie and cargo pants she used to wear up until six months ago―when she first met Night Fury.

Their first meeting... did not go well. She had panicked at the sight of him in Arendelle. Knowing next to nothing about him other than what she heard from the news, Elsa labeled him as a threat.

Not that he was any better. He had been searching for a certain individual that's been supplying a gang in Berk called the Outcasts. His subsequent interrogations of the local goons about his target garnered unwanted attention. Which typically ended with injured bodies and broken bones in his wake. No one ever got killed, but she was shocked at the sheer brutality of his methods and how little he cared for privacy when it involved acquiring the information he needed.

They were deeply suspicious of the other and had clashed numerous times before eventually realizing that they were working towards a similar goal in mind and grudgingly decided to cooperate. But not before the media caught word of their quarrels and blew it out of proportion. It was embarrassing to see the hundreds of theories online discussing about them, whether or not they were accomplices, ex-lovers, rivals and all kinds of ridiculous stuff. It didn't help that Anna became so engrossed in the whole story and would speak of nothing else every time she returned to their flat. Olaf did little to mitigate her headache when he kept the discussion going in the office.

However, it did help build some sort of camaraderie between her and Night Fury. Born out of mutual disdain for news outlets and opportunist reporters.

While she had experienced media attention before, it hadn't been quite as explosive as this. Probably because there were now two freaks out there causing trouble in their cities. Night Fury merely told her to brush them off, annoyed that they were being a hindrance to his investigation. And she more or less agreed with him, but there was one aspect that she couldn't ignore and, as petty as it seems, had to admit has some validity to it.

Elsa can argue on a lot of things about Night Fury, but the one that she can't deny is that he _definitely_ looked the part of the mysterious, skilled vigilante more than she did. And she has two years of experience on him!

Even Olaf mentioned that Arendelle's superhero, as he sees her as bless his little heart, didn't really look the part and felt lacking compared to Berk's own. Granted, he never meant to say it with any sort of ill intent but it was the straw that broke the camel's back for Elsa.

So she decided to call in a favor given to her by an eccentric fashion designer she saved during her first year as Snow Queen. Despite the heroine's protests, she kept insisting on a reward for her rescue and wouldn't let it go until Elsa reluctantly agreed. The short woman was pleased when she finally received the message and sounded delighted when she explained her request.

To acquire the exact measurements and preserve Elsa's anonymity, they agreed to meet at her private estate in Metroville. Elsa was glad for the short woman's endeavor at keeping her secret. She couldn't imagine asking Anna to start measuring her without asking too many questions.

The entire process took about a month to finish, with several back-and-forths between the two discussing minor details and readjustments. When the suit had been presented to her for inspection, Elsa could honestly say that she was completely amazed and dumbfounded by the end product, much to her tailor's smug satisfaction.

Elsa felt indebted to the short woman, or Edna as she had come to know her, for the quality craftsmanship she poured into the suit and often prioritized her protection whenever she visited Arendelle.

Though she still couldn't entirely understand her disdain for capes when she first suggested it.

The leather jacket, however, was entirely Elsa's own input. She thought it added a bit of ruggedness to the otherwise pristine costume.

No more words were said after that, and they lapsed into another comfortable silence.

Which wouldn't remain long, she knew. Experience taught her that other parts of the city would soon need her attention. After an encounter like that, Elsa couldn't hope for things to go that smoothly again. There was much more work to be done, which means she had a long night ahead of her, not to mention an early morning. _So much for a quiet evening_, she thought glumly.

"Thanks for that, by the way." Elsa nodded towards the alleyway, now devoid of life once the police wrapped up and left.

Night Fury glanced at her, questioning.

Elsa sighed internally. _For someone known for their sharp mind, he can be quite dense sometimes_.

She slipped a hand inside her jacket and pulled out the folded furyfang, which she decidedly swiped from the crime scene. No need for the police to start wondering just yet about Night Fury's presence here in Arendelle. Elsa had a feeling she'll find out soon enough.

"If you hadn't stopped him in time I don't think I could've handled the situation any better," she clarified.

But Night Fury shook his head. "You had it under control," he replied, his voice firm. "And you responded well enough against a threat you didn't account for."

"I'm flattered you think so but in truth I was completely rattled." Rather than be embarrassed, Elsa was grateful for his interference and could freely admit that the appearance of the grenade spooked her into a moment of uncertainty.

"You're not the only one that got caught off guard." He chuckled at her widened eyes. "Not even some of Berk's more gung-ho criminals have retaliated with grenades before. It's usually costly for gangs to acquire and dangerous enough to handle during raids, not worth the effort for them to clean up if something goes wrong."

_Well, that's not exactly comforting_. If their own brand of criminals have started to expand their use of weaponry faster than even Berk's notorious underworld is willing to do, then things are not looking too well for Arendelle's future.

Night Fury must've read the expression on her face when he said, "You don't have to worry about it."

"Don't I?" she scoffed.

"Yes, because he was holding a fake."

Elsa was taken aback. "_What?_"

"It was a fake," he repeated. "He was bluffing, buying time to get near the alleyway entrance and plan for his escape. If you hadn't made your move by then, I figured he would have thrown the grenade between you two or shoved it with the hostage. Either way, you would've been distracted with keeping her safe long enough for him to make a clean getaway. Fortunately, he became too enamored by his own stunt and gave me the chance to help."

"How can you be sure?"

"The color of the grenade. Dummy grenades manufactured for military use normally have the casing and lever painted blue to differentiate it from the actual grenades. My guess is he bought it off somewhere, either as a trinket or a last resort if he ever gets cornered. It's not like he expects the majority to know the difference."

"That's—" Elsa cut herself off before she could say '_ridiculous_'. She has very limited knowledge about grenades after all, so she couldn't exactly contradict him on that statement. It made her feel a bit embarrassed that there was apparently no danger to be concerned about and that the thug nearly outsmarted her by exploiting her inexperience with explosive equipment.

Still, she can't help but voice her doubts. "You couldn't know for sure."

"Crooks like him, by nature, are a superstitious and cowardly lot. I encounter them every night in Berk, preying on the weak and incapable. They talk big game, boasting their deeds as if something to be proud of. But give them a moment's uncertainty and they wilt and scamper away like rats. They _fear_ the unknown. Unwilling to take that final step, not knowing what will greet them on the other side. I highly doubt that man had the courage to actually take his own life especially after that ridiculous spiel."

The cold hard tone he used felt similar to that first night, when she first witnessed him interrogating a thug he had beaten and incapacitated. That sharp glare she could feel through his featureless mask when he turned his attention towards her. It made her shiver, got her to wonder some nights at what could have shaped him to be that way towards criminals.

And a small, annoying part of her is curious to find out.

Elsa met his gaze evenly, calm blue staring into piercing green.

Night Fury exhaled. "But true enough," he admitted reluctantly. "There is the likelihood that it could have been real and he would have actually pulled the pin. Regardless, fake or not, it doesn't change the gravity of the situation. He could've easily pulled a different stunt that's equally dangerous. You handled it efficiently _in spite_ of the circumstances. The next time it happens, you'll be ready."

She gave a single nod. "On that, I suppose we can agree."

He nodded in return, then glanced down at the furyfang she held towards him. "Withholding evidence now, Snow Queen? Your number of offenses just keep piling up. I might have to hand you over to the station for tampering with a crime scene."

Elsa tried not to snort. "Of the two of us, you're _far_ more guilty of that than me. Maybe I should hand _you_ over. It'd be poetic after all. The brave queen singlehandedly taking down the monstrous nightmare of a dragon plaguing her kingdom. Berk and Arendelle would hail me as their hero."

Night Fury chuckled as he took the furyfang and placed it back in his utility belt. "No knight in shining armor to come save the day?"

"Oh please, I'm tired of that cliché. Why would I need a knight's help when I already have this?" She waved her fingers, summoning a flurry of frost on the palm of her hand.

"You never know," he shrugged, moving closer to her. The faint glow of her powers highlighted the black plating of his chestplate. "The clever dragon might prove too much for the overconfident queen, especially if she keeps underestimating it. Just one mistake is all it takes and she'll be trapped in their talons, too late to realize that she bit off more than she can chew."

"Is that so," Elsa whispered, raising her chin up to meet his gaze. She noted with some annoyance that he's almost a head taller than her.

"That sounds like a challenge, Fury."

He crossed his arms, and Elsa could almost imagine him smirking from behind that helmet. "It was meant to be taken as such."

Her eyes narrowed. Arrogant berk.

Though it didn't stop the slight smile from forming on her face.

It felt relaxing, bantering with someone who _gets_ it. Sure, she doesn't know who Night Fury is under the mask, nor is she certain what kind of person he is outside it. But the glimpses she had point to a man who is steadfast in his beliefs of stopping crime, not letting politics or greed stop him from bringing someone to justice.

Their methods of achieving it may be different from each other and their reasons for doing so even more varied, but fundamentally they were built by the same foundation that drove them into putting on the mask in the first place. To prevent others from suffering the same tragedy as they did.

_It's comforting_, Elsa thought, _to know that I'm not entirely alone in this world_.

"You're welcome for that by the way. The police would've alerted the entire precinct immediately if they find out you're here. I merely delayed their findings so that you can do what you needed to do with very little interference as possible."

"I definitely appreciate the foresight. Not that I didn't enjoy our... 'sparring matches', but I'd rather not have the press catch wind of it again and stalk us throughout the night hoping to fabricate the next big scoop instead of focusing on the real issues."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

The less she has to say about the Arendelle Tribune, the better. Hopefully Anna can bring some integrity back to that place with her new job there.

"Well," she stretched her arms over her head until she heard a satisfying _crack_, before rolling her shoulders. "If you ever need help, you know I'm here." She felt her phone vibrate, pulled it out, and cringed at the time. "Just... maybe not tonight."

Damn, she almost forgot about that meeting tomorrow. And she had another hour or two of patrol left to do before she's satisfied for the night. After her recent run-in with those thugs, Elsa was far less optimistic about the city staying peaceful for the rest of the night.

She was about to turn around and skate off the building when she felt a firm grip on her shoulder. Surprised, Elsa turned to find Night Fury still there, looking stiff and... uncomfortable? Awkward? She couldn't exactly tell, despite growing used to discern his emotions based on body language. Odd, he'd usually disappear right about now once they conclude their talks.

"How about you let me handle patrol tonight?"

Elsa blinked, not sure if she heard him right.

"Uh, what?" she said intelligently.

Night Fury coughed into his fist before pulling his hand back.

"Let me deal with patrol for the rest of the night," he replied smoothly, his posture composed once again. "I've only just started, and can take watch over the rest of districts for the remaining hours before dawn."

"But your mission," Elsa protested, unwilling to let him carry all the burden. This was _her_ city after all. "Don't you need to focus more on that? I don't want to distract you or anything."

Night Fury waved it aside. "It can wait," he said dismissively. "This is just as important. You need rest. Even I can't function properly without having to recuperate and attend my personal demands every now and then. Or so I've been told." He muttered that last part to herself.

Elsa wanted to say no, her pride not willing to back down from her duty. She was just as capable of handling her city without asking for help, thank you very much. And she's been doing it for two years longer than him!

But then, is it really something worth arguing?

She had an important meeting tomorrow that she has yet to prepare for. If she made it back home right now she'd have enough time cram the necessary tasks she has to do before catching some shut eye. It's been distracting her this entire week, and she hasn't been performing properly both at work and her 'other' job.

Her double lives have clashed numerous times in the past, and she always ends up having to sacrifice one for the other. She doesn't like it, but it's usually the best course of action to follow considering her lifestyle. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way this time.

Elsa bit her lip, torn. "Are you sure about this?" she tried again.

"Yes," he said, his voice firm but assuring. "I have no doubt you'll make it up tomorrow once you've sorted things out. I'll be waiting then."

That settled it for her.

For all her protests, Elsa couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief at the thought of a good night's rest. Her shoulders sagging as if a weight had been suddenly lifted off them.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I really owe you one."

He shook his head. "Think nothing of it."

After a moment, both of them turned around and walked over to the ledge of the building. The wind blew around them. Streets and corners looming below marked where their paths would diverge for tonight.

"But really, I do owe you for this," Elsa insisted. "You sure you don't need my help or anything? I can skate you to the sketchiest part of the city first before I leave. Though you'll have to hold on to me to make sure you don't slip and fall over," she pointed out rather cheekily.

Night Fury gave her a dry look. "Thanks, but I've got that covered."

He tinkered with something in his utility belt before stepping on to the ledge and remained still. Puzzled, Elsa was about to ask what he's waiting for when he suddenly took one step forward and jumped over the side of the rooftop.

The building stood at about six stories high and he plummeted downwards at an alarming speed. Then, a pair of black wings sprouted from his back, turning rigid as the fabric caught air and slowed his descent into a glide. Somewhere in the streets below, a lone vehicle blared its headlights, the engine roaring to life, autonomously weaving through the near empty streets towards the designated location.

Brisk, autumn winds carried Night Fury over the lower buildings, gliding until the silhouette of a sleek black and purple motorcycle came into view. The vehicle skidded to a stop and performed a complete turn just as he retracted his wings and dropped securely on the seat, revving the throttle before zooming straight into the night, leaving only a faint hum behind.

Elsa stared at the retreating figure, idly noting how he executed the entire maneuver in one flawless run with little to no hesitation on his part.

Sometimes she wondered if Night Fury was actually bullshitting her when he said he had no powers at all.

Shaking her head, Elsa took a deep breath and then jumped over the ledge. Chutes of ice greeted her feet already forming an uneven path right to her apartment.

One quick bath, a hot cocoa and pajama change later, Elsa sat comfortably on her bed, comforter pulled up to her waist as she typed on her laptop and scanned the notes she prepared days ago.

Despite having quite the eventful night, she had to focus now and review her notes for the upcoming deal tomorrow between her firm Breaking Boundaries and Haddock Holdings.

She learned all she could about their famous CEO, his contributions to the steady success of the company, the tragedy that befell his family, and the philanthropic institutions he spearheaded to prevent others from suffering the same loss of his own children.

Truly, Stoick Haddock is a man to be admired for his steadfast character and resilience in the face of hardship.

Now if only she had more information on the representative he sent in negotiating this deal.

Her eyes hovered over an image open in one of the browser tabs. The face of a comely young man with vivid green eyes, unruly brown hair, and a rather large nose greeted her.

Hiccup Haddock III, prodigal son and recently returned heir to the Haddock fortune.

Elsa wondered just what kind of person he is. Oh well, she'll find out soon enough.

Right now her mattress demanded her attention.

* * *

**Sorry this part took a while, hope you enjoyed it.**

**I'm honestly surprised no fanfic has tried to make a connect between Hiccup's flightsuit in HTTYD 3 and the Batman Beyond suit. Seriously, it has the same color palette and the retractable wings look exactly similar. I thought of it immediately when the first trailer came out. Would've liked to see more fanfics try that concept. Just look at the concept drawings of it in Hidden World Artbook and see how good it is, man I'm actually jealous that it's not real.**

**His motorcycle is like a mix between the Batpod from TDK trilogy and that self-driving motorcycle from the recent Hobbs & Shaw. That thing stole the show in the movie.**

**If I were to actually write an actual multi-chapter fic for this vigilante AU, it has to be separate stories right? One to focus on Elsa's origins and the other for Hiccup. I already have a fair outline on how I want Hiccup's story to begin, as you've seen from the glimpse in this chapter. But it would still need some refinement. It's Elsa's that I'm having trouble brainstorming. My idea is that her origin would be somewhat similar to Spider-Gwen's but I'm not yet sure how I might fold it that way. Any ideas would be grateful. **

**Both stories would certainly take a while to manage. But if any of you want to try writing it out yourself, then please do it'd be interesting to read.**


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